Dispenser for pressurized fluid containers



April 19, 1955 c. w. JOHNSON ETAL DISPENSER FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 23, 1952 fizwraiar' 0 W H a v United States Patent DISPENSER FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID CONTAINERS Carl W. Johnson and Axel E. Rosander, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 23, 1952, Serial No. 316,504

7 Claims. (Cl. 299-95) This invention relates to dispensers for pressurized fluid containers.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a novel, simple and inexpensive dispenser which can be employed on containers within which fluid is held under pressure and which can be thrown away with the container after the contents of the container have been dispensed.

Another object is to provide such a dispenser which includes a valve mechanism which is positive in operation and which will not leak at any time.

A further object is to provide such a dispenser including a valve structure incorporating therein a seal formed of resilient material such as rubber and which will form a valve seat for a valve member and will have a wiping action on the valve member as it is seated and unseated in respect to the seal.

Still another object is to provide such a dispenser the operating parts of which may be inexpensively protected during shipment to permit rough handling and the piling of one dispenser equipped container on another without in ury.

Still another object is to provide simple means for positively locking the operating parts of the dispenser to prevent movement thereof except when desired.

The objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a container on which a dispenser embodying the invention is mounted, a portion of the container being broken away to more clearly disclose parts fitting within the container;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows, but showing the parts in enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3 as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a view looking toward the right upper portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2 and showing the split locking ring in greater detail.

Containers such as the can A illustrated are now commonly employed for the dispensing of fluids under pressure, and are typified by the disclosure herein as well as in applicants earlier filed application Serial No. 183,206, now abandoned. A liquid is placed within such a can and gas is then forced into the can under high pressure and a dispensing device is then employed with the can permitting the dispensation of the liquid either in a fine spray or in what amounts to a whipped condition from the can. The ordinary can A employed includes a truncated conical top 6 provided with a large central opening, the edges of the top 6 being curled outwardly from this opening to produce a beaded neck 7. A cupped cap 8 is generally employed with this type of can to be received within the beaded neck 7 and this cap 8 is provided with an out-turned curved flange 9 at its outer circumferential edgle which is clinched over the bead of the beaded nec 7.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a tubular fitting B which will be centrally mounted in an opening formed in the can cap 8. The fitting B shown is equipped with an external shoulder 10 which will abut against the underside of the cap 8 and the fitting is preferably secured to the cap as by solder 8a applied to the shoulder 10 and the underside of the cap 8. The fitting B about midway of its length may be provided with an upwardly projecting internal shoulder 11 and positioned within this fitting is a resilient sealing means such as ring 12. This ring 12 may be received above the shoulder 11 to be confined against downward movement by the said shoulder and formed of rubber or other resilient material, one type of sealing ring which I can use being in extensive use at the present time, and known as an O-ring. Means carried by the fitting such as a collar 13 lies above the O-ring 12 and confines the O-ring against upward movement. This collar is preferably shrunk in place within the fitting so that it makes tight engagement therewith. The resilient sealing means may extend upwardly or be divided such as to form, above the collar 13, a second and packing O-ring 14, received within the fitting B and being confined against downward movement by collar 13. An upper collar 15 is received within the fitting B above the upper end of the sealing means and is tightly shrunk in place therein and this collar 15 confines the O-ring 14 against upward movement. The two collars 13 and 15 and the O-ring 14 form a packing gland for a purpose presently to be described.

The fitting B has a lower portion 16 of reduced external diameter relative to the portion thereabove and the lower end of this reduced lower portion 16 is partially closed by a cross-web 17 having a central opening 18 therein.

A valve member C has a polygonal shaped shank 19 which is received and guided within the lower portion 16 of the fitting B, the shank being of polygonal shape to permit the passage of fluid upwardly through the lower part of the fitting to the shoulder 11 around the shank 19 of the valve member C. Above the shank 19 the valve member C is provided with a circumferential upwardly flaring truncated conical valve seating surface 20 and rising from the upper end portion of the surface 20 the valve member C is provided with a circumferential cylindrical portion 21 forming a second valve seating surface. Above the cylindrical surface 21 the valve member C is provided with an upwardly flaring truncated conical portion 22 which acts as a guide portion for introducing the valve member through the lower O-ring 12. Above the truncated conical portion 22 the valve member forms an upwardly extending stem 23 equipped at its upper end with a diametrically extending kerf 24. A coil pressure spring 25 fits within the lower portion 22 of the fitting B and bears at its lower end against the lower end of the valve member C thereby urging the valve member upwardly into seating relation with the O-ring 12 which forms a valve seat. The diameter of the parts 23, 22, 21 and 20 are correlated relative to the internal diameter of the O-ring valve seat 12. The stem 23 is, of course, of less diameter than the internal diameter of the O-ring 12 so that it will freely move through the O-ring. The lower part of the guide portion 22 of the valve member is of slightly greater diameter than the normal internal diameter of the O-ring 12 so that as the valve member approaches seating relation it will strike the internal wall of the O-ring 12 and compress it slightly while frictionally engaging the O-ring to knead it and produce a partial skin-the-cat rotational movement of the O-ring 12 as well as a wiping action of the O-ring on the lower part of the surface 22. Also, as the valve member C moves into seating relation with the O-ring 12 the cylindrical surface 21 which is of slightly greater diameter than the normal internal diameter of the O-ring 12 produces additional compression of the O-ring and continues the skin-the-cat rotational movement of the O-ring 12 causing the internal wall of the O-ring to wipe the cylindrical surface 21 as the valve is seated and causing a seating action between the O-ring and the cylindrical surface 21. The lower portion of the truncated conical surface 20 is, of course, of considerably greater diameter than the normal internal diameter of the O-ring 12 and as the valve member C is urged by the spring 25 home into full seating relation with the O-ring valve seat 12, the O-ring 12 while having a wiping action on the truncated conical surface 20 is brought into tight seating relation therewith and an efficient leakproof seated valve is thus provided. When the valve member is fully seated against the O-ring 12 as is shown in Fig. 3 the O- ring 12 in stretched and compressed relation seats against Patented Apr. 19, 1955 the valve member C along both the surfaces 21 and 20 and thus the O-ring forms a double seat for the valve member.

Slidably received within the two rings 13 and 15 located within the fitting is a dispensing tube 26 which is partially closed at its lower end but is there equipped with an opening 27 which communicates with the kerf 24 in the stem 23 whereby communication is afforded between the tube 26 and the fitting B above the O-ring valve seat 12. The tube 26 above the upper ring 15 is provided with an external shoulder 28 which acts as a stop against the top surface of the upper ring 13 to limit downward sliding movement of the tube 26. The internal diameter of the upper packing O-ring 14 is such that it will be compressed slightly when the tube 26 is in place within the collars 13 and 15 and accordingly it will be impossible for fluid to leak past the upper O-ring 14 between the tube 26 and the upper collar 15.

Attached to the upper portion of the dispensing tube 26 is a button 29 which may be conveniently formed of plastic or metal. The said button has a small chamber 30 formed therein which communicates with the upper end of the tube 26. A spigot 31 is mounted in the button 29 and projects laterally therefrom at a slight inclined angle. The inner end of this spigot is in communication with the chamber 30 and the outer end of the spigot may be partially closed by a web 32 having a fine spray orifice 33 therein. The tube 26, chamber 30 of button 29, and spigot 31 form a dispensing conduit through which the fluid may be dispensed from above the O-ring valve seat 12 when the valve member is unseated from its O-ring seat 12 by depression of the button 29 against the tension of spring 25.

In order to protect the operating parts of the dispenser against damage during shipment and to prevent opening of the valve at such time and to permit the stacking of one container equipment with the dispenser on top of another container so equipped, there is provided a guard head D which will preferably be formed of a partially flexible and resilient plastic such as polyethylene or one of the vinyl synthetic resins. This guard head D includes a cylindrical portion 34 within which the button 29 is slidably received. The upper part of this cylindrical portion is equipped with an internal flnage 35 against which a shoulder 36 on the button may contact to limit the upward sliding movement of the button relative to the head D. In this connection it should be noted that when the shoulder 36 contacts the flange 35 the upper end of the button will not project above the upper end of the cylindrical portion 34, either lying approximately flush with the said upper end or a trifle below the same whereby the upper part of cylindrical portion 34 protects the button against unintentional depression. The lower part of the cylindrical portion 34 projects downwardly and is adapted to bear against the depressed portion of the cupped cap 8 to strengthen and support the guard head from the said cap. The guard head D also includes an external flange 37 located about midway of the height of the cylindrical portion 34 and this flange is downwardly curled to fit around curved flange 9 of the cap 8, the said flange 37 being provided with a shoulder 38 which will engage below the edge of the cap flange 9 as the guard head is applied thereto. In other words, as the guard head D is made of partially resilient compressible material the portion of the head forming the shoulder 38 may be compressed slightly as the head D is pressed downwardly in respect to the cap 8 whereupon as the shoulder 38 is carried below the outer edge of the cap flange 9 it will expand and engage below the lower edge of the cap flange. Flange 37 is also provided with a downwardly extending skirt 39 which will be brought into tight sealing engagement with the truncated conical top 6 of the can as the guard head is applied in position.

A slot 40 is cut in the cylindrical portion 34 of the guard head and partially into the flange 37 to permit reception of the spigot 31 as the parts are assembled and to also permit reciprocation of the spigot 31 in a vertical direction after the parts are assembled. A split ring 41 is mounted for rotational movement on the cylindrical portion 34 of the guard head D just above the flange 37. The split in this ring is sufficient when the split is aligned with the spigot 31 to permit depression of the spigot downwardly from the upper position shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The ring 41 is preferably provided with corrugations on its external surface to permit the ring to be readily grasped and turned from a position as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 where the split in the ring is aligned with the spigot 31 to a position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 where a solid portion of the ring underlies the spigot 31. In this latter position the ring 41 will act as a locking ring to prevent depression of the spigot 31. Preferably the two end portions of the ring 41 adjacent to the split in the ring are provided with chamfered surfaces 42 at the upper edge of the ring which form camming surfaces permitting a solid portion of the ring to be readily carried below the spigot as the ring is turned on the cylindrical portion 34.

Connected to the reduced lower end portion 16 of the fitting B is a flexible tube 43 made preferably of plastic or rubber of a length to run downwardly into the container A to a point adjacent the base of the container.

In mounting the dispenser on a container such as the container A the fitting B will be first secured to the can cap 8 as by solder 8a whereupon the spring 25 and the valve member C may be placed within the fitting B. Thereupon the valve seat O-ring 12 will be inserted within the fitting B followed by the collar 13, the upper O-ring 14 and the collar 15. The tube 26 carrying therewith the button 29 and the spigot 31 may then be assembled, the lower part of the tube 26 fitting within the two rings 13 and 15 and being received by the upper O-ring 14 and, of course, the lower end of the tube 26 bearing against the upper end of the valve stem 23. The tube 43 is then attached to the lower portion 16 of the fitting. The container A may now be filled with the liquid which it is to contain and the cap 8 may then be attached to the container by clinching the flange 9 over the beaded neck 7. Thereupon the guard head D may be applied as has been previously described. Gas under pressure may then be forced into the container A and the locking ring 41 may be turned to its locking position underlying the spigot 31. The device is now ready for shipment.

The guard head D will protect the working parts of the dispenser during shipment and prevent injury to the parts. One can can be placed on top of the other without injury to the parts and, of course, no liquid may be dispensed from the device while in shipment as the locking ring 41 will prevent depression of the spigot 31.

When it is desired to dispense fluid from the can, it is first necessary to turn the split ring to unlocking position, i. e., to a position where the split in the ring underlies the spigot 31. Then by depressing the button 29 against the tension of spring 25 and the gas pressure within the can, the valve member C may be unseated from its O-ring seat 12. The gas pressure within the can will now force the fluid from the bottom of the can through the tube 43, and fitting B to a point above the valve seat 12, whereupon the fluid may be delivered through the kerf 24, and opening 27 into tube 26 and thence through the dispensing conduit formed by the tube 26, chamber 30 of button 29 and spigot 31. The fluid will then issue in a fine spray from the orifice 33. By varying the size of this it is possible to vary the concentration of ejected fluid as desired so as to secure a spray or whipped colloidal etfect. Upon'discontinuing depression of the button 29 the valve member will be raised by the spring 25 and gas pressure within the container to again shut oif the dispensing device. The locking ring 41 can then be rotated to the locking position to prevent unintentional dispensation of the fluid. The ring 41 is intentionally made so that it rather tightly embraces the cylindrical portion 34 of the guard head D and as the material forming the head is quite soft relative to the material forming ring 41, the ring after being turned once or twice will wear a slight channel in the portion 34 which assists to prevent upward displacement of the ring. Each time that the valve member is seated or unseated the surfaces 20, 21 and 22 of the valve member are wiped by the O-ring 12 whereby the seating surfaces of the valve member are kept clean at all times to permit the proper seating action. Also, each time that the valve member is actuated the two O-rings 12 and 14 will be given a partial rolling action thereby maintaining those rings in flexible condition. As the tube 43 runs down to a point adjacent the bottom of can A the entire contents of the can can be dispensed while the can is held in upright position. After the contents of the can have been dispensed the entire can, including the dispensing mechanism, may be thrown away.

It will be seen that a simple, inexpensive dispensing device has been provided.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departure from the scope of the present invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown, and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser for a pressurized fluid container, comprising a valve fitting having an internal upwardly directed shoulder, a resilient seal forming an annular valve I seat and mounted within said fitting above said shoulder, means carried by the fitting for retaining said resilient seal against displacement, a packing seal received within said fitting above said retaining means, means carried by the fitting retaining said packing seal in place, a valve having a shank guide within said fitting below said first mentioned seal, said valve having an external cylindrical first seating surface of slightly greater diameter than the internal diameter of the first mentioned seal and having immediately below said cylinder seating surface, a downwardly diverging truncated conical second seating surface joining said first mentioned seating surface, a dispensing tube slidably received within said fitting and packed against leakage by said second mounted seal, the lower end of said tube being in communication with said fitting above said first mentioned seal and bearing against the upper portion of said valve, a spigot connected to said dispensing tube, and resilient means urging said valve into seating relationship with said first mentioned seal, the cylinder surface of the valve and the truncated conical seating surface thereof forming a double sealing engagement with the first mentioned seal as the valve is seated.

2. A dispenser for a pressurized fluid container comprising a valve fitting having an internal upwardly directed shoulder, an O-ring forming an annular valve seat and mounted within said fitting above said shoulder, a ring received within said fitting in spaced relation above said shoulder and retaining said O-ring against displacement, a packing O-ring received within said fitting above said ring, means carried by the fitting retaining said packing O-ring in place, a valve having a shank guided within said fitting below said first mentioned O-ring, said valve having an external cylindrical first seating surface of slightly greater diameter than the internal diameter of the first mentioned O-ring and having immediately below said cylindrical seating surface a downwardly diverging truncated conical second seating surface joining said first mentioned seating surface, a dispensing tube slidably received within said fitting and packed against leakage by said second mentioned O-ring, the lower end of said tube being in communication with said fitting above said first mentioned O-ring and bearing against the upper portion of said valve, a spigot connected to said dispensing tube and resilient means urging said valve into seating relationship with said first mentioned O-ring, the cylindrical surface of the valve and the truncated conical surface thereof forming a double sealing engagement with the first mentioned O-ring as the valve is seated.

3. A dispenser for a pressurized fluid container comprising, a valve fitting having an internal upwardly directed shoulder, a resilient seal forming an annular valve seat and mounted within said fitting above said shoulder, a packing seal received within said fitting above said retaining means, means carried by the fitting for retaining said valve seat seal and said packing seal in place, a valve having a shank guide Within said fitting below said first mentioned seal, said valve having an external first seating surface of slightly greater peripheral dimension than the internal dimension of the first mentioned seal and having immediately below said external first seating surface, a downwardly flared second seating surface joining said first mentioned seating surface, a dispensing tube slidably received within said fitting and packed against leakage by said packing seal, the lower end of said tube being in fluid communication with the upper portion of said valve, a spigot connected to said dispensing tube above said packing seal, and resilient means urging said valve into seating relationship with said first mentioned seal, the external first seating surface of the valve and the flared second seating surface thereof forming a double sealing engagement with the first mentioned seal as the valve is seated.

4. A dispenser for a pressurized fluid container, comprising a hollow fitting adapted to be mounted within the container to communicate therewith, a resilient seal carried by said fitting and forming an annular valve seat, means retaining the resilient seal within said fitting, a valve received within said fitting for cooperative seating action with said resilient seal, resilient means urging said valve into seating relation, a dispensing conduit slidably mounted in said fitting, communicating therewith above said resilient seal and adapted to be depressed to unseat said valve against the tension of said resilient means, a guard head attached to said container and having a vertically extending tubular part slidably receiving a portion of said conduit, and said tubular part having a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said conduit including a spigot projecting through said slot in the wall of said tubular part of the guard head, and a locking member rotatably mounted on said tubular part of the head, said locking member having a part adapted to be adjusted by rotation of the locking member relative to said tubular part to a position where said last mentioned part underlies a projecting part of said spigot to prevent depression of said conduit.

5. A dispenser for a capped pressure container within which fluid is held, comprising a tubular fitting adapted to be mounted in communication with the cap of the container, an O-ring mounted in said fitting and forming a valve seat, a valve slidably mounted within said fitting and cooperating with said O-ring to seat thereagainst on upward movement, resilient means urging said valve in seating relation, a dispensing tube slidably mounted within said fitting, bearing against the upper end of said valve and communicating with said fitting above said O-ring, means in spaced clearance with the O-ring and with the upper end of said valve packing said dispenser tube within said fitting against leakage, a button carried by the upper portion of said tube, a spigot projecting laterally through said button and communicating with the upper portion of said tube, a guard head attached to the cap of the container having a vertically extending tubular part within which said button is slidably mounted, said tubular part of the guard head having a slot through which said spigot extends, and a split locking ring rotatably mounted on said tubular part of the guard head and movable to a locking position underlying said spigot and to an unlocking position where the two end portions of the locking ring are located one at either side of the spigot out of vertical alignment therewith.

6. A dispenser for a pressurized fluid container comprising a valve fitting having an internal upwardly directed shoulder, a resilient seal forming an annular valve seat mounted within said fitting on said shoulder, means carried by the fitting for retaining said valve seat seal in place relative to said shoulder, a valve having a shank guide within and fitting below said valve seat seal, said valve having an external substantially cylindrical upper seating surface of slightly greater peripheral dimension than the internal dimension of said valve seat seal so that the valve seat seal will engage said cylindrical upper seating surface with a wiping action, and said valve having immediately below said upper seating surface a laterally extending annular second seating surface joining said first mentioned seating surface, a dispensing tube slidably received within said fitting, the lower end of said tube being in fluid communication with the upper portion of said valve, a laterally extending discharge passage in communication with the upper part of said dispensing tube above said valve seat seal, and resilient means urging said valve into seating relationship with said valve seat seal, the external upper first mentioned seating surface of the valve and the second mentioned laterally extending seating surface of the valve forming a double sealing engagement with said valve seat seal as the valve is seated.

7. A dispenser for a pressurized fluid container of the construction defined in claim 6 and in which said resilient valve seat seal is an O-ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,371 Mapes June 3, 1934 2,083,584 Wineman June 15, 1937 2,568,057 Cotter Sept. 18, 1951 2,621,746 Beauregard Dec. 16, 1952 2,621,973 Lodes Dec. 16, 1952 2,686,652 Carlson Aug. 17, 1954 

